2nd Gaza Flotilla Scheduled For May

A Union of Good website has reported that the next flotilla to Gaza to scheduled to sail in May, 2011. According to the report:

The Turkish humanitarian aid fund IHH has reaffirmed that it received thousands of applications to join its Freedom Flotilla II, slated to sail for Gaza and led by the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara next May, 2011. Israeli politicians expressed concern over the return of a Gaza-bound aid Turkish ship that the Israeli navy attacked late last May, and killed 9 Turkish solidarity activists. IHH, one of the groups behind the Freedom Flotilla, is currently organizing a new 12-ship aid convoy scheduled to set sail to Gaza late next May, the Israeli newspaper Maariv Wednesday quoted those sources as saying. Israeli attempts to deter the mission “culminated with failure” when the convoy’s organizers refused offers to deliver the aid through Port Ashdod in “Israel”, Maariv said. It is worth to mention that the ship Mavi Marmara reached the Turkish ports before two weeks, after being released by the Israeli forces, and a big welcome ceremony was organized at the Turkish seaport to mark this event.

Meanwhile, the relief material and different other effects that were confiscated by Israeli forces are still held at Ben Gorion airport after being held by the Israeli foreign ministry.

The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) has published a new report titled “Turkey, the Global Muslim Brotherhood, and the Gaza Flotilla.” The report abstract states:

There is strong evidence for Turkish governmental involvement in the Gaza flotilla incident, with Turkish government support channeled through the Turkish Muslim Brotherhood network. Since 2006, Turkey has become a new center for the Global Muslim Brotherhood. The IHH was not acting alone but rather was an integral part of a Turkish Muslim Brotherhood network.

With respect to the Global Muslim Brotherhood, report’s second conclusion states:

The Gaza flotilla incident brought into sharp focus an even more significant long- term development: the growing relationship between the Erdogan government and the Global Muslim Brotherhood, which has given rise to some of the most notorious Islamist terrorist groups – from al-Qaeda to Hamas. Since 2006, Turkey has become a new center for the Global Muslim Brotherhood, while the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip acted as the main axis for this activity